Sacramento, CA…The California State Board of Equalization (BOE) is proud to announce that it has been honored with three State Agency Recognition Awards for its outstanding work with California’s small and disabled veteran owned businesses. The following awards will be presented at the December 17,2013 Board meeting in Sacramento: Most Notable Improvement for Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise Contracting; Advocate of the Year Silver Award; and, Secretary’s Special Achievement Award.

“We are proud of our dedicated team and its commitment to small businesses and disabled veterans in California,” said BOE Executive Director Cynthia Bridges. “This acknowledgement from our peers is a testimony to the talent, dedication, and hard work of our contracting and procurement team.”

The BOE was awarded Most Notable Improvement for Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise Contracting for increasing contract and procurements with the disabled veterans’ business community by 400 percent. Also, BOE employee Linda Fergurson (pictured) was presented the Advocate of the Year Silver Award for outstanding leadership and achievement in small business and disabled veterans advocacy and contracting. In addition, the BOE was honored as the recipient of the coveted Secretary’s Special Achievement Award presented by the California State Government Operations Agency.

These three awards recognize the BOE’s outstanding achievements and commitment to California’s business community and its concerted effort to identify and award acquisitions to small businesses and disabled veterans, while significantly exceeding state participation goals.

The State Agency Recognition Awards (SARA) are hosted by the California Department of General Services, Procurement Division.

The five-member California State Board of Equalization (BOE) is a publicly elected tax board. The BOE collects $52.5 billion annually in taxes and fees supporting state and local government services. It hears business tax appeals, acts as the appellate body for franchise and personal income tax appeals, and serves a significant role in the assessment and administration of property taxes. For more information on other taxes and fees in California, visit www.taxes.ca.gov.